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Thursday, June 26, 2014

Pattern and Tutorial: Unisex Bubble Romper, Size 0-6 months

I love bubble rompers on babies -- boy or girl. There's something so southern about them. On their own, they're nice and breezy for hot weather, and they look dressy and darling when worn over a shirt. When I was waiting on C's arrival, I wanted to make him a few classic bubble rompers for the summer, but I couldn't find a pattern I liked for a boyish bubble in anything smaller than 6-9 months. (I'm sure such a thing exists, but I couldn't find it.) So after he was born I used him as a model, and measurements of a few of his ready-made clothes, to come up with a pattern of my own. After a few tries, I think I've finally got it! I'd say it's 0-6 month size. The nature of a bubble makes sizing so imprecise, but this fits him well (actually I'll probably raise the buttons or add a button to snug it up a bit). For reference, he is 7 weeks old, but he is a bigger baby and all of his 0-3 month clothes are getting too short. The Rosalina shirt he's wearing below is a 0-3 and doesn't fit around his neck. And he's worn it zero times, grrr. Anyway.

Print the pattern out at 100%. Tape the pages together right at the edges, with no overlap, in this order:

1 2 3
4 5 6

1. Cut out two front pieces and two back pieces (not on fold, but mirroring each other), then cut your pattern pieces along the "facing" line and cut two front pieces and two back pieces of your facing fabric.

2. Match your two front pieces, right sides together, and stitch down the center line. (***All seams in this project are 3/8".***) You will have a funny-looking curve at the crotch. Finish your seam by serging, pinking, or zig-zagging. Press down your seam allowance. (Don't worry about getting it perfect on the curved part.) Do the same with your back pieces.

If you are adding a monogram, appliqué, or other embellishment to the front of your romper, now would be the time to do it.

3. Do the same thing to your lining pieces. In addition, finish the bottom of each lining piece, by serging, zigzagging, pinking, or folding under and stitching. Whatever floats your boat.

4. Stitch each romper piece to its facing, right sides together, leaving the sides and bottom open.

5. Clip corners and notch curves.

6. Then trim seam allowances. I like to use pinking shears, although it isn't really necessary.

7. Flip up the facing pieces and put both pieces right sides together. (Your starting point for lining up these pieces should be the point where main fabric and facing meet. Your facings may not be exactly the same length, but that doesn't matter at all. Additionally, you don't want to start matching your pieces up from the bottom because they aren't supposed to be perfectly aligned there.) Pin.

8. Stitch all the way down the sides, sewing facing to facing and main fabric to main fabric. Serge, pink, or zigzag seam allowances.

9. Flip the garment right-side out and use a pencil, knitting needle, or similar to get the points turned out nice and crisp. You're halfway done already!

10. On both long leg openings, either serge or fold under 1/4" and press down. (I serged the crotch, too, but realized later that I didn't actually need to do that because it will be folded under later.)

11. Fold leg openings under another 1/2" and stitch to make elastic casing.

13. Feed through casing and pin down with just the safety pin peeking out at either end.

14. One inch from either end, stitch across to close casing and catch elastic. Pull the safety pin out and snip the little end of excess elastic. (You will have 1" unelasticized at both ends of the crotch.)

15. Take the front crotch piece and turn it under 1/2" and press, then turn under again 1/2" and press. Stitch down. Do the same to the back crotch piece. These are your snap plackets.

16. Attach snaps. Or do as I do and get your husband to do it. ;-) Because he can somehow do in five minutes what would take me half an hour.

17. Optional: You might want to make just a little one-inch line of topstitching at either side seam, just to help keep the facing from riding up.

Do it right on the seam, and you can't see it from the outside at all.

I'm sorry for your trouble -- sounds frustrating indeed! I'm not sure what happened, as the front and back pieces shouldn't be the same and the back pieces should definitely be longer. The one I sewed in the demonstration pictures was from the exact same pattern and you can see the difference. Maybe something that happened in the download? I unfortunately am taking a hiatus from both seeing and blogging while I work on another big projecs (and focus on my kids) but would welcome comments from others who have seen this pattern as to whether they experienced the same problem.

The pattern was great! Once i figured out how to print the pattern correctly I got to working and my romper turned out really cute! It fit my little 9 week old great. I think it can also be scaled up very easily to fit a bigger baby 6-12m). Thank you for the free pattern!

Thank you for a great pattern, I made one a few nights ago and it came out absolutely adorable! I was wondering whether there is a point in the back crouch piece (snap placket) being a bit wider than the front piece rather than them laying flat together? I'm just curious to hear your thoughts on the design; once the snaps are on, it looks great and the difference adds puffiness to the back.

Hi there - I am having a go at this now - bit unsure about sticking together the pattern - it looks like as you say to stick 1, 2,3 and 4, 5, 6 together with no overlap, however when it comes to sticking 123 to 456 it looks like there is a margin in the pattern with a line across which appears to be an overlap? Can you confirm.

Hi, Debbie! It has been a while since I did this but I'm pretty sure there should be no overlap. That's how I have always made my patterns. Just to make sure -- are you printing at 100% on 8.5"X11" paper? And does the scale come out to one inch when you print?

Oh, I think I see what happened. Looking at the pattern again, it looks like I copied it with tape on from where I taped a cut version onto paper after doing a trial. So I think that makes it look like there is a margin, but there should not be --edges butted up is the way to go. Sorry about the confusion!

Amber O. thank you for the pattern. I too had difficulty putting the pattern pieces together using your guide of 123 being put together and 456. When I put the pattern together in this manner the back pattern piece is much longer than the front (by several inches). If you would please review the file, I believe the pattern pieces go together 124 and 356. The small piece on page 2 attaches to the facing printed on page 3. Then that leaves the small piece on page 5 to be attached to the facing printed on page 4. I hope this makes sense.

Hi, sorry this is causing some people trouble! The back piece is supposed to be longer than the front piece, because it comes up under the baby's bottom and is supposed to be quite roomy in the seat. :)

Thank you for this pattern. I made it for my niece and àll the mothers (and grandmothers) loved it! My other niece samedi me if I could make one for her 7 month old daughter.... I think your ok with me making more? But One question should I add 3cm 11/4 inch all over to enlarge the pattern? I hope you understand my Englisch for I am a Dutch grandmothers from Amsterdam. ;-) isn't that nice your pattern "all over the world".

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Pattern and Tutorial: Unisex Bubble Romper, Size 0-6 months

I love bubble rompers on babies -- boy or girl. There's something so southern about them. On their own, they're nice and breezy for hot weather, and they look dressy and darling when worn over a shirt. When I was waiting on C's arrival, I wanted to make him a few classic bubble rompers for the summer, but I couldn't find a pattern I liked for a boyish bubble in anything smaller than 6-9 months. (I'm sure such a thing exists, but I couldn't find it.) So after he was born I used him as a model, and measurements of a few of his ready-made clothes, to come up with a pattern of my own. After a few tries, I think I've finally got it! I'd say it's 0-6 month size. The nature of a bubble makes sizing so imprecise, but this fits him well (actually I'll probably raise the buttons or add a button to snug it up a bit). For reference, he is 7 weeks old, but he is a bigger baby and all of his 0-3 month clothes are getting too short. The Rosalina shirt he's wearing below is a 0-3 and doesn't fit around his neck. And he's worn it zero times, grrr. Anyway.

Print the pattern out at 100%. Tape the pages together right at the edges, with no overlap, in this order:

1 2 3
4 5 6

1. Cut out two front pieces and two back pieces (not on fold, but mirroring each other), then cut your pattern pieces along the "facing" line and cut two front pieces and two back pieces of your facing fabric.

2. Match your two front pieces, right sides together, and stitch down the center line. (***All seams in this project are 3/8".***) You will have a funny-looking curve at the crotch. Finish your seam by serging, pinking, or zig-zagging. Press down your seam allowance. (Don't worry about getting it perfect on the curved part.) Do the same with your back pieces.

If you are adding a monogram, appliqué, or other embellishment to the front of your romper, now would be the time to do it.

3. Do the same thing to your lining pieces. In addition, finish the bottom of each lining piece, by serging, zigzagging, pinking, or folding under and stitching. Whatever floats your boat.

4. Stitch each romper piece to its facing, right sides together, leaving the sides and bottom open.

5. Clip corners and notch curves.

6. Then trim seam allowances. I like to use pinking shears, although it isn't really necessary.

7. Flip up the facing pieces and put both pieces right sides together. (Your starting point for lining up these pieces should be the point where main fabric and facing meet. Your facings may not be exactly the same length, but that doesn't matter at all. Additionally, you don't want to start matching your pieces up from the bottom because they aren't supposed to be perfectly aligned there.) Pin.

8. Stitch all the way down the sides, sewing facing to facing and main fabric to main fabric. Serge, pink, or zigzag seam allowances.

9. Flip the garment right-side out and use a pencil, knitting needle, or similar to get the points turned out nice and crisp. You're halfway done already!

10. On both long leg openings, either serge or fold under 1/4" and press down. (I serged the crotch, too, but realized later that I didn't actually need to do that because it will be folded under later.)

11. Fold leg openings under another 1/2" and stitch to make elastic casing.

13. Feed through casing and pin down with just the safety pin peeking out at either end.

14. One inch from either end, stitch across to close casing and catch elastic. Pull the safety pin out and snip the little end of excess elastic. (You will have 1" unelasticized at both ends of the crotch.)

15. Take the front crotch piece and turn it under 1/2" and press, then turn under again 1/2" and press. Stitch down. Do the same to the back crotch piece. These are your snap plackets.

16. Attach snaps. Or do as I do and get your husband to do it. ;-) Because he can somehow do in five minutes what would take me half an hour.

17. Optional: You might want to make just a little one-inch line of topstitching at either side seam, just to help keep the facing from riding up.

Do it right on the seam, and you can't see it from the outside at all.

I'm sorry for your trouble -- sounds frustrating indeed! I'm not sure what happened, as the front and back pieces shouldn't be the same and the back pieces should definitely be longer. The one I sewed in the demonstration pictures was from the exact same pattern and you can see the difference. Maybe something that happened in the download? I unfortunately am taking a hiatus from both seeing and blogging while I work on another big projecs (and focus on my kids) but would welcome comments from others who have seen this pattern as to whether they experienced the same problem.

The pattern was great! Once i figured out how to print the pattern correctly I got to working and my romper turned out really cute! It fit my little 9 week old great. I think it can also be scaled up very easily to fit a bigger baby 6-12m). Thank you for the free pattern!

Thank you for a great pattern, I made one a few nights ago and it came out absolutely adorable! I was wondering whether there is a point in the back crouch piece (snap placket) being a bit wider than the front piece rather than them laying flat together? I'm just curious to hear your thoughts on the design; once the snaps are on, it looks great and the difference adds puffiness to the back.

Hi there - I am having a go at this now - bit unsure about sticking together the pattern - it looks like as you say to stick 1, 2,3 and 4, 5, 6 together with no overlap, however when it comes to sticking 123 to 456 it looks like there is a margin in the pattern with a line across which appears to be an overlap? Can you confirm.

Hi, Debbie! It has been a while since I did this but I'm pretty sure there should be no overlap. That's how I have always made my patterns. Just to make sure -- are you printing at 100% on 8.5"X11" paper? And does the scale come out to one inch when you print?

Oh, I think I see what happened. Looking at the pattern again, it looks like I copied it with tape on from where I taped a cut version onto paper after doing a trial. So I think that makes it look like there is a margin, but there should not be --edges butted up is the way to go. Sorry about the confusion!

Amber O. thank you for the pattern. I too had difficulty putting the pattern pieces together using your guide of 123 being put together and 456. When I put the pattern together in this manner the back pattern piece is much longer than the front (by several inches). If you would please review the file, I believe the pattern pieces go together 124 and 356. The small piece on page 2 attaches to the facing printed on page 3. Then that leaves the small piece on page 5 to be attached to the facing printed on page 4. I hope this makes sense.

Hi, sorry this is causing some people trouble! The back piece is supposed to be longer than the front piece, because it comes up under the baby's bottom and is supposed to be quite roomy in the seat. :)

Thank you for this pattern. I made it for my niece and àll the mothers (and grandmothers) loved it! My other niece samedi me if I could make one for her 7 month old daughter.... I think your ok with me making more? But One question should I add 3cm 11/4 inch all over to enlarge the pattern? I hope you understand my Englisch for I am a Dutch grandmothers from Amsterdam. ;-) isn't that nice your pattern "all over the world".

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